Rob Kerrison, an education consultant for Tutor Doctor, which specializes in math, reading and science help for students of all levels (2012) Photo Credit: Handout

Rob Kerrison, an education consultant for Tutor Doctor, which specializes in math, reading and science help for students of all levels (2012) (Credit: Handout)

School's back in session, and while most children start the year on top of all their coursework, they may have trouble staying ahead -- or this could be the year they start preparing for those dreaded standardized tests.

While many schools offer some form of tutoring or extra help at little to no cost, there are resources outside the school doors that can be of service:

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School's back in session, and while most children start the year on top of all their coursework, they may have trouble staying ahead -- or this could be the year they start preparing for those dreaded standardized tests.

While many schools offer some form of tutoring or extra help at little to no cost, there are resources outside the school doors that can be of service:

How they'll help It's one-on-one, and tutors will travel to your house or other place of your choosing. All the tutors are certified teachers and have teaching certificates -- and many have advanced degrees.

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How they'll help They come to your home and customize your child's tutoring needs. It starts with a free assessment, after which a plan will be developed. Tutors for younger students usually have an education degree, and tutors for the older students typically have a specialized degree in the subject they're tutoring.

How they'll help Meet at the prep center or at your home. There's no contract, and you can pay as you go. All classes are two students to one teacher. The teachers typically have degrees from the top 50 universities with a minimum GPA of 3.5.

Cost There is a sliding scale starting at $50 per hour. The price is lower if you pay for a few classes ahead of time or if your child comes to the center.

How they'll help The co-owners have PhDs in behavior analysis (a branch of psychology), and a system they invented using behavioral analysis and cognitive science to teach a child to combine retention, endurance and application and flexible thinking into a practical application for learning.

How they'll help It's a very personalized approach to help each student learn about shortcuts and strategies for the standardized tests. No one is locked into a set package. Kids can go to the tutoring center or meet with the tutors at home.

How they'll help Representatives for the center say they have deconstructed relevant official test materials published in the past 25 years, and developed programs designed to help students ace the tests. For example, they developed a 5,500-word vocabulary list created from the words most frequently used in past SAT tests. The students are quizzed weekly on those words. For the math section, they created a glossary of 100 tested math terms and identified more than 200 commonly recurring math problem types -- along with the most efficient methods for solving each one. Most of the classes are taught on an individual basis.

How they'll help Choose between small group classes or individual tutoring. The center's directors meet with your child's classroom teachers to make sure everyone is working together to advance your child.

Cost Packages start at $50 per hour for group tutoring or $60 for individual.